Football - Fevernova: Official Ball of the 2002 Korea/ Japan World Cup
by R. Sanborn BrownThe history of the official ball of the World Cup dates to 1970, according to a recent article in the Japanese daily the Asahi Shinbun. The first official ball was used at the 1970 Mexico World Cup. Prior to that tournament all teams brought their own ball. To ensure fairness, one team's ball was used for the first half of the match, the other team's ball for the second half.
Like a volleyball, the balls at that time (and into the 1980s) were made of cowhide. The ball used in the first Mexico Cup was a thirty-two sided ball with a black and white design. The problem with cowhide, however, was that when it got wet it absorbed water and became heavier. This slowed the game and made heading difficult and painful.
In an attempt at remedying that, Adidas—which has developed and produced the official ball for every World Cup—introduced a new ball at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. The new ball had rubber inlaid over the seams to prevent water from seeping in. In wet weather, this new ball did "play" better than the old balls; however, when kicked enough the rubber would eventually come off. This meant the ball could only be used for a limited period.
Another problem with balls made of natural hide was that quality of an individual ball varied depending upon which part of the cow had been used to make the ball. A ball produced from cowhide taken from, say, the stomach or, conversely, a ball made from the back, would have different thickness and quality; moreover, there was wrinkling with any ball made from hide.
In the 1986 World Cup, also held in Mexico, the first polyurethane ball was introduced as a way of surmounting the above weaknesses. It was rain-resistant and much more uniform in the way it responded.
For the 1994 Cup, hosted by the United States, a ball was developed that was enveloped in a layer of foam polystyrene. The speed of the ball increased, and the softness of touch was much improved. For the 1998 France World Cup, the French red-white-blue tricolor was employed for the ball's design, which was the first departure from the traditional black and white pattern since the 1966 World Cup. In order to increase the accuracy of the ball itself, Adidas created a ball constructed of thicker inner layers for the French tournament.
For the upcoming World Cup, the most obvious change in the official ball will be in its design: champagne- and gold-colored, the Fevernova features a "shuriken," or Ninja's star (a spiky handheld weapon that is thrown). According to Adidas, the gold color symbolizes "the energy of the two host nations," and the "red flames represent the tradition of fire as a driving life force." What is of perhaps greater interest than the design, though, is the construction of the ball.
Using the newest technology and latest materials, Adidas has produced in the Fevernova what it calls the most accurate ball ever.
Fevernova ball
Working with the Hiroshima, Japan, firm Molten, they have produced a ball whose surface is three millimeters thick. Using a combination of special manmade polystyrene and natural rubber, there are some 10 layers within the Fevernova ball. Moreover, embedded within these synthetic layers are gas-filled micro balloons, which, according to Adidas technical expert Gunther Pfau, were "designed to produce a more precise flight path, making it the most accurate football ever."
Using a robot, Adidas put the Fevernova through a series of kick tests. The ball has no deviation during flight. This could not be said of the ball used in France and then in the 2000 European Cup, which in kick tests showed some movement. Another feature of the new ball is its tremendous durability thanks to a special weave of synthetic fibers.
All of which, it is hoped, will result in more goals and better play this summer in South Korea and Japan. Adidas marketing also claims the ball has "better compression and more explosive rebound characteristics," which should make the games more exciting. At the unveiling ceremony in Busan, South Korea, in late November, Manchester United teammates David Beckham and Fabien Barthez were on hand in a video presentation to test the new ball. England captain Beckham said: "Dead-ball situations are probably the most important part of my game and I have yet to come across a better ball than this."
The Fevernova made its debut in the South Korea v USA friendly in Seogwipo on 9 December 2001.
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